Raining
by MissaSempai
Summary: Stuck in the rain with the last person she wanted to see. Chapter four up.
1. The rain

I own nothing

It hadn't been raining so hard when it first started but by the time Catti-Brie reached the small cave about a quarter of a mile off where she saw the fire she could barely see an inch in front of her face. When she finally managed to reach the cave she slipped and fell on the slick mud as she looked up while trying to right herself she froze, by the small fire sat Entreri.

She glared coldly as she pulled herself to her feet, "Ye! What ye be doin' here?!" She reached for her sword but he didn't move seeming almost bored, "Seeing as you are at my camp I think it's I who should be asking you that."

Catti-Brie turned to leave but stopped when he spoke, "I won't kill you but the rain might if you go out in it." For several long moments she stood there before finally turning around and sitting at the fire across from him. As time passed the tension grew and the cold sunk deeper into her bones she began to shiver. It grew worse and worse until finally Artemis threw his mostly dry cloak across to her, she stared at it suspicion clear on her face. His expression turns to a scowl and his voice sharp, "If you aren't going to use it give it back." Taking it she draped it across her shoulders, "Aye...thank ye."

For the longest time she avoided looking at him all together before she finally gazed at him across the fire, a curious look in her eyes, "Why do ye hunt Drizzt?"

Because I need to, because if I don't then I can never prove myself, my life is nothing Beca-- "Because I want to defeat him."

Hands fisted in anger and a fire in her eyes she snaps, "But why him? He is a good man an' ye never give him a moments piece! Ye--" What ever she was going to say is cut off by his icy glare not unlike the one he had when they first met. "I fight him because I have to, before him I was unbeaten. I have to fight and I have to win."

Staring back at her was an angry, cold, violent, and strangely very lost looking man she did not say another word for the rest of the day not even when night fell and they slept back to back for warmth, touching yet not interacting.


	2. The journey

During the night Catti-brie had turned towards Artemis in her sleep and curled into a ball next to him. As dawn came she nestled herself in the wonderful warmth next to her, something was nagging at the back of her mind that she should remember. What she was suppose to remember clicked back into her mind as she realized just who she was snuggling up to when it pulled away. She looked at Artemis' back with a sheepish smile she ran her a hand through her auburn hair, "Sorry, I must of still been half asleep."

A soft chuckle was the only response she got as he got up and tossed a few more chunks of wood into the fire. A grumble of hunger went through her stomach and she began digging through her bag, "I know it is in here somewhere. Ah-ha found it!" Quite pleased with herself she pulled out a bag of dried meat and as she took the first bite, the thought of sharing crossed her mind but she shook it off.

Why should she share? He had caused her and her friends nothing but trouble, chased them hurt them. What did he do to deserve even a bit of kindness from her? She pulled the cloak tightly around herself, then realized that it was the one he had let her borrow he hadn't even asked for it back. The conflict warred in her brain for several long minutes before finally, she decided that everyone deserved a chance. With a flick of the wrist she tossed the bag at him and with lightening fast reflexes he grabbed it out of the air, "Help yerself, remember it is suppose to last me a ten-day though."

He opened the bag slowly as if expecting it to be trapped, upon seeing the meat though he quickly grabbed some and began to eat almost as an after thought he added a quick, "Thanks." She sighed softly, not every one could be grateful, but at least he wasn't as...unpleasant to be around as usual. She glanced at Artemis frequently through out eating before she finally got the nerve up to ask what was on her mind, "What are ye doing out here?" For a while he didn't answer finishing the last of his food, "I'm heading to Waterdeep." The finality of his tone suggested he was threw talking about it, if not all together. Catti-Brie ignored this however watching him with suspicion in her eyes, "Aye? That is where I'm headed as well." He just shrugged though she could see a suspicion that mirrored her own.

The moment she finished her food she stood up, "I need to get goin'." He gave her a curt nod but other wise ignored her, despite what she said she stood rooted in place, "Do ye want to travel together?...safer that way." The words came out before she even had a chance to think about what she was saying, and she could not help but wonder if she was making a huge mistake. When he didn't answer she assumed with great relief that meant he did not want to travel with her.

Leaving the cave she looked at the the land around her and gave a soft sigh of relief because she was low enough on the mountains that the rain didn't freeze once it hit the ground. The sound of something moving behind her drew her attention and her earlier relief vanished when she saw Artemis following behind her. As they climbed down the mountains which were quickly turning to hills Artemis moved swiftly through the stones and brambles to catch up with her he then slowed down to her pace. "Where are your companions?" His expression is curious but Catti-Brie got the feeling he was milking her for information and her temper flared. Her eyes narrow and snapped "I needed to travel on my own, not that it's any of your concern."

If what she said angered him his expression revealed nothing. For the next three days they travelled in a silence that slowly became more peaceful. Catti-Brie discovered that his presence didn't seem to bother her any more.


	3. The Battle

They had started camp for he night and it was Catti-Brie's turn to gather fire wood for the night. She felt a splinter dig into the palm of her hand and sighed, "At least I don't have ta' do it every night." Dry wood was easier to find than it had been the past few nights since the rain had stopped and before long she had her arms full of dry timber. On her way back to camp she heard the snapping of twigs, a split second later the fire wood was on the ground and her sword Khazid'hea was out. Met with only silence she stood tense waiting for an attack that never came. Reluctantly she sheathed her sword and picked the fallen wood back up, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

She dropped the wood in front of Artemis, "Here ye go." She decided not to tell him about the noise, it was probably only rabbit or some other animal after all. As she watched him silently build a fire she let her mind wander, it was strange how travelling with wasn't horrible, and in fact was almost...pleasant. He didn't speak very much but she found she didn't mind, it gave her time to think. She had been lying when she said she needed to travel alone, in reality she needed to be with out Drizzt.

They had not left on the best of terms, out of some ridiculous sense of nobility he said he couldn't be with her. Said it would be cruel if they had children, how they would be ostracized by almost everyone and no amount of arguing would convince him otherwise. Catti-Brie tried to tell him that growing up in Mithral Hall they would be accepted and loved, but he was worried about the rest of the world. Part of her understood, it really did but a much larger part was hurt and angry that he would make that decision for her.

Artemis watched her with curious eyes, her emotions were as easy to read as an open book. Hands were clenched at her side, brows furrowed, and eyes filled with unshed tears he could tell something happened. He raised a brow questioningly, something she had learned meant he wanted to know what she was thinking, this time though she was too far gone to notice. He gave a barely audible sigh, "Who died?"

Her head jerked up confusion heavy in her eyes, "What are ye' talkin' about?" Artemis shook his head and waved his hand over her, as if it should be obvious. It was though she supposed and her head drooped dejectedly again, "Ah, no one I'm just goin' through a rough time." He gave her an understanding nod but didn't press any further, which she was grateful for.

The night was once again a cold one and as they had the past three nights they slept back to back. Only about an hour after falling asleep Catti Brie did something she had not done since their first night camping together, she rolled over and and nestled herself against Artemis' back. His eyes opened instantly but he didn't pull away, unwilling to sacrifice warmth for comfort that would change in an instant though as a slender arm snaked around his waist and pulled him closer

He sat up hastily, she was far too close for comfort. Her arm didn't loosen though, instead it tightened around him, she spoke so softly he almost couldn't hear her, "Don't leave me...please...." He tensed until realization hit him, she was still asleep. He sat like that for some time before he finally laid back down it took some time for him to finally drift back to sleep.

In the middle of the night Artemis started awake, he didn't hear anything but he could feel it, what ever it was near by. With a light shake he woke Catti-Brie just in time for a the 'it' to attack. A man with light brown hair, pale skin, and dark red eyes leapt through the shadows soon followed by a smaller blonde man, vampires. Almost instantly Charon's claw was in his hand and blocking the taller vampire's sword and was almost knocked from his hand by the strength of the blow.

The creature fought with raw strength but lacked any real finesse with a blade, Artemis feinted with his sword quickly drawing his dagger and stabbing it through the heart. The dagger slid easily between the ribs and pierced the heart, a look of horror and agony crossed the vampires face and he began to convulse. The vampires skin seemed to bleed away to a red mist which quickly moved away in search of it's coffin.

Catti-Brie's fight however was not going quite as smoothly though, the blond fought with all the strength a prowess of a skilled swordsman. He jumped on Catti-Brie where she laid, she kicked him up and rolled quickly to her feet pulling out her blade as she did. She swung Khazid'hea towards it's shoulder only to have the sword knocked away by it's forearm, the deep cut hardly seeming to affect it as he thrust forward, stabbing deep into her abdomen. Adrenaline dulled the pain though, she almost didn't feel it as she brought her blade straight down through his shoulder and into his heart, he fell.

She smiled weakly at Artemis as the vampire changed into a hideous red mist, he gave a small smirk in return until he saw the blade still in her stomach. She followed his eyes down and saw it and pulled it out, almost instantly all the pain that she was suppose to feel came rushing back to her and she collapsed.

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[Insert maniacal laughter herel]

Cliff hangers!!!


	4. Saving

As she hit the ground she began to curl herself into a tight ball, only to discover that it hurt so much worse to lie like that. Artemis rushed to her side and carefully rolled her over, blood pulled around the wound and he knew that he had to stop the bleeding. He pulled the ties at the sides of her leather armor loose and he gently removed the vest. He then removed his own armor and shirt rolling it then wrapping the make-shift gauze around her, knotting it in the back. Taking only the time necessary to grab their supplies and put out the fire he picked Catti-Brie up cradling her in his arms and ran.

They hadn't passed Longsaddle yet, and it shouldn't be far off. All he had to do was make it to the road to the East and then follow it South to the town. He glanced down at her and realized something, not only had the desire for her to die faded, he actually wanted her to survive this. It worried him that he actually cared about her life.

For the journey Catti-Brie passed in and out of consciousness, talking to him almost constantly when she was awake. The first time she woke, she simply thanked him for helping her and asked where they were headed. The next few times that she woke however she seemed hardly lucid. She woke three hours later, her eyes starting to get a glassy look to them and the blush of a fever starting to spread across her cheeks, she gave him a weak smile despite all that though. "Yer not as terrible ah partner as I thought ye would be." Her accent grew thicker in her drowsiness. He wasn't quite certain what to say to that, but knew it would be best to keep her awake. "Neither are you, once you get past the stubbornness, temper, and general personality you have." He got a laugh in response, or he almost did at least the beginning of laughter soon turned into a sharp hiss of pain. Laughing her, and before he could feel the smallest tug of guilt she was out again.

It was nearly day break before she woke the third time, speaking quickly in a rough language he imagined was dwarven eyes wide with fear. Rubbing her back lightly seemed to help send her back into a fitful sleep. The last time she woke up that day her eyes were glassy and her face hot with sickness. Yet through all of this she still smiled, though most likely because she was beyond the point of pain, "Ye have the most interestin' eyes. Ne'er seen gray ones on anyone else." This comment stunned him, he hadn't really known what he expected her to say but that certainly wasn't it. He forced himself to smirk anyway, "I see that you've just used this as an excuse to stare at me, bet you aren't sick at all. You're lucky I don't make you walk." A small line of buildings began to appear on the horizon as she frowned at him. "Just 'cause yer a looker doesn't mean I'm starin' at ye." Another forced smirk this time with a chuckle to follow. "Don't worry I believe you." The words dripped with sarcasm, not that she would ever know because she was once in his arms once again.

It seemed to take longer to travel that last mile than it has the almost fifteen before, his arms and legs ached and his eyes burned but he made it. People stared as he passed with the near dead, but he ignored them too focused on finding the temple of Lysander to care. He was familiar with Longsaddle and wove down alleys and between buildings until he came to the modest temple. It was a simple building made with light gray bricks and an arched doorway with dark mahogany doors, which he kicked open. An elven woman with long black hair and pale skin glanced up, her bright blue eyes widening in horror. "Quickly set her on one of the beds!" She motioned towards a line of cots in the corner of the room, Artemis practically ran to them.


End file.
